This bean dip takes about five minutes to make. It's inexpensive and delicious. / Valerie Mosley/News-Leader

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Ham and Bean Soup / Valerie Mosley/News-Leader

These black bean cakes are nutritious and delicious. Serve with guacamole, salsa and white rice. This is a very economical meal. / Valerie Mosley/News-Leader

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Where can you find food that’s high in iron, protein, fiber and B vitamins for less than $1?

In a can of beans.

Beans offer a ton of nutrition for very little cost. If you use canned beans, you also have a quick meal.

While beans are nutritious, each bean has its own benefits. For example, kidney beans are extremely high in vitamin C; black beans in vitamin A; pinto beans are a good source of calcium and iron; Great Northern beans have 14 percent of daily calcium, 23 percent of iron and 51 percent of your daily fiber needs.

I prefer canned beans over dry because it takes so long to cook beans, and while some people complain about the sodium levels in canned beans, I cook my dry beans with so many pork products I know the end result is high in sodium, too. So why not make it easy and reach for a can of beans?

This week, I have three different, delicious recipes.

My bean dip and black bean cakes are vegetarian friendly.

The bean dip is inexpensive, so it’s perfect for a party and takes five minutes to make. The black bean cakes take about 15 minutes. Serve them with rice and a side of guacamole or sour cream and you have dinner.

My favorite recipe here may be the ham and bean soup. When I was younger, my mom would occasionally make ham and white bean soup. The usual downsides to making this soup are that it makes a huge pot so you have to eat it all week, and it can take all day. But my recipe is done in about 30 minutes. I add potato to thicken the stock. Three bay leaves infuse flavor, too. For a 30-minute effort, it’s excellent if you like ham and white bean soup.

I recently made this with a smoked pork chop instead of ham. It was excellent, so you could use either in this recipe.

If you prefer a thicker soup, mash some of the beans before serving. I hope you enjoy.